The Nativity Cluster (M44)

Code: M44, NGC 2632
Type: Open Cluster
Constellation: Cancer
Distance from the Sun: 600 light-years

Also known as the Beehive, M44 is an open cluster visible to the naked eye as a faint glow. In a telescope, it resolves into a myriad of bluish stars forming a harmonious ensemble, one of the largest and most luminous of its kind.

Fun Fact: All the stars in the Beehive were born from the same gas cloud about 600 million years ago. A fine example of group cohesion—as long as gravity holds.